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Matthias Gallas

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Matthias Gallas
Matthias Gallas, Graf von Campo, Herzog von Lucera
Born17 October 1588
Trento,Prince-Bishopric of Trent[1]
Died25 April 1647(1647-04-25)(aged 58)
Vienna,Austria[2]
AllegianceHoly Roman Empire
RankGeneralfeldmarschall
Battles/warsWar of the Mantuan Succession

Thirty Years' War

Spouse(s)Isabella of Arco († 1632), Dorothea Anna von Lodron († 1666)[2]
Signature

Matthias Gallas, Graf von Campo und Herzog von Lucera(Count of Campo, Duke of Lucera) (Matteo Gallasso;17 October 1588 inTrento– 25 April 1647 inVienna)[1][3][4]was an Italian professional soldier during theThirty Years' War.He distinguished himself in the first half of the war in service of theCatholic League,in theWar of the Mantuan Succession,and as one ofAlbrecht von Wallenstein's Generals. After carrying out the dismissal and elimination of Wallenstein, Gallas became acting supreme commander of theImperial Armythree times between 1634 and 1647 but he never held the function or authority of aGeneralissimo.

He was a principal architect of thevictory of Nördlingen1634 but his following campaigns were less successful. After leading ineffective offensives against France, he managed to end Swedish attacks onSaxonyand to drive them back to theBalticcoast in 1637. Unable to eliminate them or sustain his own forces in the devastatedPomerania,Gallas retreated with his shrunken army in 1638. Because he was unable to stop the following Swedish advance, he lost his command for the first time.

Called back in 1643 to stopLennart Torstenssonwho soon retreated to attack Denmark, Gallas was ordered to follow him and to support the Danes. This ended in Gallas' most disastrous campaign in which he was outmaneuvered and encircled by the Swedes, who cut him off from his supplies in late 1644. Having lost almost his entire army, he was again relieved from command, only to return to advise and supportArchduke Leopold Wilhelmin defending theErblandeagainst Sweden. Once again, he replaced the Archduke as supreme commander in 1647 but died soon afterwards after suffering many years from ill health.

Biography

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Early career

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Gallas started his career first as page and then as cavalryman in service of Ferdinando Madruzzo, a brother of thePrince-Bishop of TrentoCarlo Gaudenzio Madruzzo.He most likely fought as Spanish mercenary inFlanders.Thereafter, he fought asFähnrichandLieutenantunder the TyroleanObristfeldhauptmannGiannangelo Madruzzo for Spain againstSavoy.In 1616, Gallas participated at the Spanish siege ofVercelliinPiedmont.Following Giannangelo's death in December 1618, Gallas was designated to succeed him as commander of the fortressRiva.He becameCaptainand commanded the fortress until January 1621.[5]In this year, Gallas joined the forces of theCatholic Leagueand entered theThirty Years' WarasObristwachtmeisterand commander of an infantry regiment. He was second officer toCount Anholtand distinguished himself, especially at thebattle of Stadtlohn(1623). After being promoted to colonel in 1625 and madeReichsfreiherrin 1627, the League president and BavarianElector Maximiliandenied him further promotion, leading to Gallas' change into Imperial service in early 1629.[6]

Gallas' first independent command led to the capture and infamous sack of Mantua

Since 1629, he was serving asGeneralfeldwachtmeisterunderCount Collaltoin theWar of Mantuan succession.When Collalto fell sick, command of the Imperial army devolved to his deputies, Gallas andJohann von Aldringen.[7]

On 29 May 1630, Gallas successfully defeated a 17,000 strong Franco-Venetian relief army led by the French generalDuc de Candaleand the Venetian provveditore Zaccaria Sagredo at thebattle of Villabuona.His complete victory at Villabuona ensured the fall ofMantua,and on 18 July Imperial troops under his command captured and then brutally sacked the city.[8]Only the churches[9]and theghettowere spared, but the latter solely to expel the Jewish population and to plunder it nine days later. The expulsion was later rescinded by the Imperial court, and on 18 October the surviving Jewish population of Mantua was allowed to return.[8]Gallas stayed in Italy to negotiate the Treaty of Cherasco in which he managed to prevent the demilitarisation of theValtellinathat remained under Imperial control.[10]

MadeImperial Countfor the capture of Mantua and the negotiations at Cherasco,[10]he returned to Germany for the campaign against the invading swedish kingGustavus Adolphusand his Saxon allies in late 1631. Gallas was appointed toFeldzeugmeisterand assumed command over a corps ofWallenstein's army. Over the winter, he recovered parts ofBohemiafrom Saxon occupation. Wallenstein's army recapturedPragueand subsequently turned to Bavaria to face the Swedish army in 1632. Gallas' corps served at theBattle of the Alte VestenearNurembergagainst the Swedish King.[11]After the battle, Gallas was promoted toField Marshal.Wallenstein sent him toSilesiaprior to theBattle of Lützenand called him back too late, so that he did not arrive in time to participate. On a proposal from Wallenstein,Emperor Ferdinand IIappointed Gallas toGeneralleutnant,second-in-command to theGeneralissimo.Over the year 1633, he commanded in Silesia.[12]

When Wallenstein's repeated disobedience and unauthorized negotiations withSaxonystrengthened the court's mistrust of him, the Imperial counselor Wolkenstein contacted Gallas to check his loyalty and to introduce him to plans to depose Wallenstein.[13]Initially skeptical of the plans, he unsuccessfully tried to change Wallenstein's mind. He was made provisional supreme commander until the Emperor's sonFerdinand of Hungarytook command.[14]

After he was informed of the Emperor's decision to arrest or kill Wallenstein, Gallas left the army's headquarters inPilsenon 12 February 1634 to plan the execution. He declared the orders of Wallenstein,Adam Erdmann Trčka von LípaandChristian von Ilowinvalid and secured the loyalty of the troops while Wallenstein fled toEgerwhere he wasassassinated.Gallas was rewarded with the vast majority of the formerDuchy of Friedland.[15][2]

Generalleutnant and Imperial commander

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Gallas' greatest success, theBattle of Nördlingen1634

In the next campaign, Gallas was the actual commander as chief advisor to the inexperienced Ferdinand of Hungary. Their plan was to regainRegensburgand to link up with a Spanish army under theCardinal-Infante.The Imperials captured Regensburg on 26 July, followed byDonauwörthon 16 August.[16]They proceeded to besiegeNördlingenwhere the Spanish army joined their forces. A numerically inferior Swedish force underGustav HornandBernhard of Saxe-Weimartried to lift the siege and attacked them on 5 September but Gallas directed the united Habsburg army to a resounding victory in theBattle of Nördlingen.[17]The Swedes lost two armies and the control over southern Germany while the Imperials chased them up to theMainbefore moving into winter quarters inWürttemberg.[18]

The attention of the Imperials turned to theRhinein 1635. After the open outbreak of hostilities with France, Gallas and his troops crossed the river at the recently capturedPhilippsburgin May. He captured most of thePalatinatewithKaiserslauternas well asWormsand started to besiegeMainzin summer. At the approach of a French-Weimar relief force under Bernhard and CardinalLa Valette,Gallas retreated to harass them with light cavalry and to cut off their supplies. This proved successful, most of the French army perished because of sickness or hunger, or it dissolved on its retreat toMetz.The siege of Mainz was renewed and successfully concluded in December while Gallas advanced viaSaarbrückenintoLorraine.He joined forces atDieuzewith the exiledDuke of Lorrainewho urged to recapture his capitalNancy.Yet Gallas preferred to entrench his army at theSeilleto give his troops some rest.[19][20]An outbreak of the plague and shortage of supplies forced him to retreat intoAlsacewhere he set up winter quarters atSaverne.[21][20]

Saint-Jean-de-Losnewhere Gallas' invasion of Burgundy ended in 1636

For 1636, Ferdinand of Hungary had convinced the Cardinal-Infante to invade France from the north in an attempt to end the war. Gallas was ordered to lead a separate southern invasion intoBurgundyto support Spain. Despite Gallas' reluctance to initiate offensive campaigns, he collected his troops inBreisachand marched via theBelfort Gapinto theFranche-Comté.French troops had invaded this Habsburg territory in May and were besieging the capitalDole.Gallas sent his vanguard underGuillaume de Lamboyand the Duke of Lorraine ahead; they relieved Dole in August. His main force encamped atChamplittewhere it was confronted by a French army under Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar and La Valette in September. Unwilling to attack the French head-on, Gallas broke up his camp after several weeks and marched onDijon.After capturing the castle ofMirebeau-sur-Bèzeon 24 October, he was again hesitant to advance further and decided to lay siege toSaint-Jean-de-Losneto secure its strategic bridge for supplies or a possible retreat. However, the small town resisted all Imperial attacks until French reinforcements and heavy rain forced Gallas to abandon the siege and the overall invasion in early November.[22][20]

After being sent to northern Germany with his army in 1637, Gallas was more successful at stopping the advance of the Swedish generalJohan Banér.He almost encircled the Swedes atTorgauwith superior numbers in June but Banér escaped by sacrificing parts of his baggage. In a pursuit up toPomerania,Gallas was faster than Banér and blocked his way atLandsberg.Banér barely rescued his army by deceiving the Imperials into thinking that he would violate Polish neutrality and evacuate his army over their territory. However, he only sent his remaining baggage over the Polish border, while his troops moved westwards across theOder.Gallas trapped him at the coastline and raised a cordon along thePeeneriver, taking all strongholds except the most heavily fortified, such asStralsundorStettin.[23][24]The Swedes apparently showed readiness for peace, as their main army was locked in a few fortresses on theBaltic Sea.The new Emperor Ferdinand III was willing to compromise but the Swedish ChancellorAxel Oxenstiernaeventually used his offers just to improve the French contributions in theTreaty of Hamburgin March 1638.[23]

During 1638, Gallas' situation strongly deteriorated; while Banér received fresh reinforcements from Sweden, Gallas gained only insignificant support from his alliesBrandenburg-Prussiaand Saxony. In October 1638, Banér broke through Gallas' cordon and reconqueredMecklenburg.The Imperials were unable to sustain their army in the devastated area any longer and first retreated across theElbe,then to Silesia, plundering and partially dissolving in the progress.[25]After Gallas' retreat, Banér pushed into Saxony, defeating the Saxon army atChemnitzin April 1639. The Swedes advanced even further entering Bohemia in May as the first enemy since 1634.[26]At first left in command, Gallas focused on defending Prague against Swedish siege attempts. Unable to expel the Swedes from Bohemia and confronted with declining army morale and discipline, Gallas was replaced byArchduke Leopold Wilhelmin September. The emperor wanted Gallas to stay as counselor in Vienna, but he chose to return to Trento and to administer his various possessions for the next few years.[27]

Return as commander

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In March 1643, Gallas returned to succeed the Archduke and the interim commanderPiccolominiwho both resigned following their defeat atBreitenfeld.Gallas anticipated the march of the Swedes underLennart Torstenssonfrom Saxony toMoraviaand tried to block his way with a defensive position atHradec Královéas well as denying the Swedes any crossing of the Elbe. However, Torstensson feinted an attack atBrandeiswhile gaining a crossing atMělník.This allowed Torstensson to reach Moravia and resupply the occupiedOlomouc.Gallas followed him overBrnoand again took a strong defensive position in front of Torstensson. Instead of seeking battle, Gallas harassed him in skirmishes with the superior Imperial light cavalry and sent a diversion under Krockow to Pomerania. At the end of the year, the Swedes surprisingly left to attack Denmark in what became theTorstenson War.[28]

Swedish and Imperial camps atBernburg1644 where the Swedes encircled Gallas' troops

In the next year, Gallas was ordered to march toHolsteinto Denmark's aid. Being himself very skeptical about the prospects of this campaign, he delayed his departure until May and slowly moved up toKielthat he recaptured from Sweden in August. The Swedish fleet had been trapped in theBay of Kielafter theBattle of Colberger Heidebut Gallas arrived a few days too late to bombard it from land. Torstensson was already in control ofJutlandand bypassed Gallas' army after a short confrontation at theEiderto threaten their supply lines. Gallas was forced to retreat back toBernburgwhere Torstensson's superior cavalry supported byHans Christoff von Königsmarckfully encircled the Imperials and denied them any supplies.[29]By deceiving Torstensson to attack a small decoy force, Gallas was able to escape toMagdeburgin November where the pattern repeated itself. His army been shrunken by hunger, sickness and desertion, and himself fallen ill, Gallas ordered his troops to break out. The cavalry underAdrian von EnkevortandRaimondo Montecuccoliwas caught by the Swedes atJüterbogand only partly escaped, the small remaining portion of infantry underJohann Wilhelm von Hunolsteinsafely reached Bohemia in early February 1645.[30]

Gallas himself stayed with the diseased soldiers in Magdeburg and only returned to Prague in late February.[31]His command was given toMelchior von Hatzfeldtwho lost and was captured atJankauin March. The slightly recovered Gallas was again recalled to assist the new Generalissimo Leopold Wilhelm as his deputy. He collected the dispersed Imperial troops in Bohemia and organised the defence of the kingdom whereas Archduke Leopold Wilhelm held theDanube.[32]The Bavarian defeat by France atSecond Nördlingenin August made an Imperial diversion necessary to help them out. Both Gallas and the Archduke moved to Bavaria and repulsed the French army back to the Rhine while the defence of the Danube was left to three army corps under Puchheim, Hunolstein andAnnibale Gonzaga.[33]When Gallas' health and his relationship to the Archduke strongly declined at the end of the year, he left his office again.[34]

Feeling somewhat more in health, Gallas was asked to replace the Archduke as supreme commander in December 1646. Despite arguing for Piccolomini instead of him, Gallas agreed. Soon, he was again afflicted by gout and fever.[35]Too ill to lead another campaign, he restricted his efforts to conserve the Imperial army through the winter. The war-weary Gallas could not prevent the Bavarian Elector Maximilian from signing theTruce of Ulmwith France and Sweden in March 1647; he even admitted that Maximilian was doing the right thing. The emperor recalled Gallas to Vienna in late March, his command was transferred toCount Holzappelon 17 April.[36]Gallas died eight days later due to a failed surgery.[37]

Assessment

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The successes of Gallas' early career were not matched by his achievements after 1634.[2]He was a general that never lost a major battle because he did not lead his army into any after Nördlingen. Unwilling to risk his army inpitched battle,Gallas still could not prevent the ruin of his armies in various campaigns because of lack of supplies. He often complained about the unsustainable conditions but still obediently followed the orders of the emperor.[38]After his disastrous campaigns of 1638 and 1644, he became even known as the “destroyer of armies” - originating from French and Swedish war propaganda, it evolved into a lasting nickname.[39]

According to his biographer Rebitsch, Gallas was an able and wily tactician who most excelled in the defence but often lacked the determination and risk appetite in the offensive. He was competent in the operative planning of his campaigns but more and more overstrained in their execution under the increasingly difficult external conditions of the later Thirty Years' War.[39]Gallas was in contrast to for example Torstensson or Piccolomini not among the commanders that could adequately adapt to these altered conditions.[40]

Family

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Gallas first married Countess Isabella ofArcoin 1630 in a double marriage with his colleague Johann von Aldringen who married Isabella's sister Livia. After the death of his first wife in 1632, Gallas remarried two years later to Countess Dorothea Anna Maria von Lodron-Laterano (1619-1666), daughter of Count Philipp von Lodron-Laterano (1596-1671) and a relative toSalzburg's Prince-BishopParis von Lodron.[41][2]Together, they had at least seven children, of which Franz Ferdinand (1635–1697), Theresia Annunziata Francesca († 1667), Anton Pankraz (1638–1695) and Maria Viktoria (1639–1687) survived their childhood. After the death of her husband, Dorothea married Prince Ferdinand Johann von und zuLiechtenstein(1622-1666).[42]The most remarkable descendant of Gallas was his grandsonJohann Wenzel von Gallas(1669–1719), a diplomat and AustrianViceroy of Naples.[43]

After the death of the last male Gallas in 1757, Johann Wenzel's son Philipp Josef, the heir Christian Philipp von Clam took the name Clam-Gallas,[44]a family which provided many reputable soldiers to the Imperial army.[45]

Possessions

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Palazzo Galasso in Trento

Despite holding the titleCount of Campo,Gallas never possessed the eponymous Castle Campo nearFiavéthat his family had lost many generations before.[46]From his pay as soldier and officer, he purchased the first pieces of land prior to 1621, followed by a house in Trento in 1623 and a mansion inMattarelloin 1628. In 1632 or 1642, he bought the Palazzo Fugger in Trento, afterwards known as Palazzo Galasso.[47]

His loyalty to the Habsburgs during Wallenstein's dismissal in early 1634 brought Gallas as highest-ranking executor the majority of the Generalissimo's property in the Bohemian Duchy of Friedland withFrýdlantandLiberecbut without the capitalJičín.From Adam Trčka's possessions, the dominion ofSmiřicewas given to Gallas.[48]In northern Italy, he purchased Castle Freyenthurn (Italian:Torre Franca) in Mattarello and most of the surrounding village from 1634 to 1636.[47]

On 22 August 1635, Gallas was made Duke of Lucera by KingPhilip IV of Spain.The title was linked to a territory in theKingdom of Naples.Gallas himself did not use the title in documents or correspondence.[49]

Notes

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  1. ^abRebitsch 2006,p. 30.
  2. ^abcdeRößler 1964,pp. 46–47.
  3. ^Regarding personal names: Until 1919,Grafwas a title, translated asCount,not a first or middle name. The female form isGräfin.In Germany, it has formed part of family names since 1919.
  4. ^Regarding personal names:Herzogis a title, translated asDuke,not a first or middle name. The female form isHerzogin.
  5. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 31–33.
  6. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 37–43.
  7. ^Rebitsch 2006,p. 51.
  8. ^abCurti 1889,p. 51.
  9. ^Rebitsch 2006,p. 53.
  10. ^abRebitsch 2006,pp. 56–57.
  11. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 60–62.
  12. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 64–69.
  13. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 86–88.
  14. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 90–92.
  15. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 93–97, 103.
  16. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 106–108.
  17. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 112–117.
  18. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 122–123.
  19. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 136–139.
  20. ^abcGuthrie 2003,pp. 78–79.
  21. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 140–142.
  22. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 150–160.
  23. ^abWilson 2009,pp. 596–597.
  24. ^Guthrie 2003,pp. 58–59.
  25. ^Wilson 2009,pp. 597–598.
  26. ^Wilson 2009,p. 615.
  27. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 197–203.
  28. ^Guthrie 2003,pp. 123–124.
  29. ^Guthrie 2003,pp. 125–128.
  30. ^Höbelt 2016,p. 414–417.
  31. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 293–294.
  32. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 321–324.
  33. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 326–330.
  34. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 331–332.
  35. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 342–344.
  36. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 350–354.
  37. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 366–367.
  38. ^Höbelt 2016,pp. 214–215.
  39. ^abRebitsch 2006,pp. 409–413.
  40. ^Guthrie 2003,p. 40.
  41. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 375–376.
  42. ^"Family tree of Dorothea Anna Maria von Lodron-Laterano".
  43. ^Rebitsch 2006,p. 378.
  44. ^Rebitsch 2006,p. 372.
  45. ^Chisholm 1911,p. 413.
  46. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 26–27.
  47. ^abRebitsch 2006,pp. 389–390.
  48. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 393–394.
  49. ^Rebitsch 2006,pp. 383–384.

References

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  • Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)."Gallas, Matthias".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 413.
  • Curti, F. (1889).Compendio deli Assedi e Blocchi di Mantova con relative note dal sua fondazione a giorni nostri(in Italian). Mondoví: Stabilimento Litografico-Tipografico.
  • Guthrie, William P. (2003).The Later Thirty Years War: From the Battle of Wittstock to the Treaty of Westphalia.Greenwood Press.ISBN9780313324086.
  • Höbelt, Lothar (2016).Von Nördlingen bis Jankau: Kaiserliche Strategie und Kriegsführung 1634-1645(in German). Wien: Heeresgeschichtliches Museum.ISBN978-3902551733.
  • Rebitsch, Robert (2006).Matthias Gallas (1588–1647). Generalleutnant des Kaisers zur Zeit des Dreißigjährigen Krieges. Eine militärische Biographie(in German). Münster: Aschendorff Verlag.ISBN978-3-402065761.
  • Rößler, Hellmuth (1964),"Gallas, Matthias",Neue Deutsche Biographie(in German), vol. 6, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 46–47;(full text online)
  • Wilson, Peter H. (2009).Europe's Tragedy: A History of the Thirty Years War.Allen Lane.ISBN978-0-7139-9592-3.
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